One of the highlights of being in the DC area for orientation and training is taking advantage of how bicycle-friendly the area is: trails, paths, dedicated lanes, etc. It's great! I've been riding most weekends and I'm even contemplating riding from my apartment to the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) some days. Not there, yet, but I've done a trial run to get a feel for it.
I was out last Sunday for a ride out to Great Falls. I rode the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal path from Georgetown. It was on this path that I had an "ah-hah" moment.
Some of you may know that I've been flirting with Buddhism for years. While I wouldn't actually call myself a Buddhist (I have no idea how the various forms of the religious rituals are practiced), the philosophy of Buddhism resonates with me.
So, I'm riding along the bike path, seeing other bikers, runners, walkers, joggers...and it hits me: this bike path is a great metaphor for our lives.
- What looks like one path is really a individual path for everyone on it. My experiences and perceptions are in no way the same as anyone else's on that path.
- Everyone had to "navigate" that path themselves -- sometimes they had help from others or signs -- but each person had to fundamentally do it themselves; no one else could ride my bike for me, just as no one else could walk, or run, or stand still for anyone else.
- Some parts of the path were smooth and easy; others were rough or hilly. Some were sunny, some shady, and some a bit murky -- even scary. Sometimes the path was very wide but other times it was quite narrow. Very much like life itself.
- Sometimes the path was very crowded, especially around areas with parking lots nearby. Other times it felt like I was nearly alone.
- People were constantly coming and going, moving along in both directions, crossing over and back.
- Sometimes the path intersected with other paths and sometimes it crossed right over them.
- I always had to be aware of the path and others on it. I was part of a larger thing.
So, what does all this mean? Maybe not much in the grand scheme of things. But it was quite interesting to me while it was happening. It made me realize that this path -- my life -- is my experience; others will come in and out of my life -- some for nearly the whole path and others for only a brief part. While I have to navigate this life myself, ultimately everything is one. Plus, it was cool to have that "zen/zoned out" athletic experience that I've never quite seemed to have before -- or maybe I was just dehydrated. Who knows?
Anyway, the ride to Great Falls is quite lovely. And, coming back it's all downhill! Another metaphor?
I'll leave you with this:
